News Release

Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago intercity passenger rail project to hold community engagement meetings in September

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two informal community engagement meetings for the proposed intercity passenger rail service between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Chicago will be held in early September to give the public an opportunity to meet with project staff and review project plans.

The meetings will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., with a presentation at 5:30 p.m., at the following sites:

The purpose of the proposed TCMC second train project is to address gaps in the regional transportation system. The project also plans for population increases and economic growth within the rail corridor by providing a second daily roundtrip between the Twin Cities and Chicago, in addition to the existing long distance Amtrak Empire Builder operating between Portland, Seattle and Chicago.

“The second daily train is projected to grow the market and provide greater scheduling reliability at a speed of 79 miles per hour,” said Dan Krom, director of MnDOT’s Passenger Rail Office, which is leading the planning efforts.

This service will provide flexibility and convenience for intercity travel between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Chicago. The service will also connect travelers in cities along the corridor with regional destinations and provide schedule choices for existing and future travelers.

The next steps for the proposed project are to evaluate the environmental impacts of the infrastructure upgrades identified through the alternatives evaluation process and develop a service plan.

To request an ASL or foreign language interpreter for the meeting call 651-366-4720 or to request other reasonable accommodations, call 651-366-4718 or email your request to ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us

About the Project

The TCMC corridor is a 410-mile rail corridor connecting major metropolitan regions of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Milwaukee and Chicago and providing service to the cities of Red Wing and Winona in Minnesota, and to La Crosse, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus, Milwaukee, General Mitchell International Airport and Sturtevant in Wisconsin, and to Glenview in Illinois. The TCMC rail service would add an additional frequency along this route connecting Union Depot in St. Paul and Union Station in Chicago.

The Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois departments of transportation, in cooperation with the Federal Railroad Administration, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission, and La Crosse Area Planning Committee, are working cooperatively on the initial planning effort for the proposed TCMC Project.

Sign up to receive project updates and information on upcoming community engagement opportunities at the project website: www.mndot.gov/passengerrail/tc-mil-chi/. The TCMC Purpose and Need Statement is also located on the project website.